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~Rachel~ Forum All-Star
Joined: March 29 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 8:36am | IP Logged
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OK I had bumped up the old homemaking thread, but in reality I think this needs its own thread
What type of skills do you think are necessary to instill in our growing boys for use as an adult?
What books would you recommend that they read? (DS has his 9th birthday coming up, but I'd like to think ahead )
__________________ ~Rachel~
Wife to William
Mum to James 13, Lenore 8
Lighting a Fire
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Mary G Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 9:03am | IP Logged
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Rachel,
Here are some great books to get you started:
Dangerous Book for Boys
The American Boy's Handy Book
The Field and Forest Handy Book
The Boy Scouts Handbook
Boys to Men: The Transforming Power of Virtue
Those should give you a great start! I think the big thing is getting the boys outside or active inside ... building, creating, hiking, etc. I also have my boys learn some of the traditional "girl jobs" -- sewing, cooking, cleaning and (of course ) knitting -- so that they can do these things for themselves if necessary.
(19yos called the other day, "How do you cook sweet potatos?" ... he was having pork roast with mangoes, papayas and pineapple and baked sweet potatos ... we were having cheese-rice and eggs -- doesn't seem fair does it? )
__________________ MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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ladybugs Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: California
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 9:07am | IP Logged
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I would also recommend, Virtuous Leadership.
I haven't read it yet (mine is on order) but a dear friend values it so highly, I have no qualms in recommending it.
__________________ Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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JodieLyn Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 11:12am | IP Logged
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My dh tells me that the boys need to learn to sew.. not only for themselves.. but as a firefighter there are crews that will MAKE their own gear because no one manufactures exactly what they want.. and sewing is a huge skill to have to get onto some of these more elite crews
And firefighting is a good seasonal high paying job for the college age students.
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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lapazfarm Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005 Location: Alaska
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 1:51pm | IP Logged
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I think of all of the things my dh does for us himself, so we don't have to pay others to do it for us, and I want my sons to be able to do these things for their families as well.
Things like basic carpentry, basic plumbing, basic auto repair/maintenance, basic electrical wiring, lawn maintenance. When dh is doing these things I always encourage my sons to "go help daddy" from the time they are very small. Dh is great to indulge them, letting them "help" with whatever they can and as they get older they become very competent. My sons, at ages 13 and 17 are both competent with all kinds of hand and power tools and it is great for their self-esteem to be able to do so many "manly" things.
So, books are great, and the ones Mary suggested are tops, but there is nothing like the example and gentle guidance of a real man, preferably dad, to show them the ways of manly things.
__________________ Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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~Rachel~ Forum All-Star
Joined: March 29 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 7:40pm | IP Logged
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Oh I definitely agree Theresa, DH is very patient with DS. He lets him 'help' with the car (oil changes, breaks etc.) and various 'man jobs' around the house. I was just trying to figure out the best way to encourage some of the other skills in life
Keep it coming ladies!
__________________ ~Rachel~
Wife to William
Mum to James 13, Lenore 8
Lighting a Fire
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Willa Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005 Location: California
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
My dh tells me that the boys need to learn to sew.. not only for themselves.. but as a firefighter there are crews that will MAKE their own gear because no one manufactures exactly what they want.. and sewing is a huge skill to have to get onto some of these more elite crews
And firefighting is a good seasonal high paying job for the college age students. |
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I have heard exactly the same thing from a homeschooling friend of mine, whose oldest is a firefighter. He is so grateful that she taught him to sew.
__________________ AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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juststartn Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007 Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: Aug 12 2008 at 9:43pm | IP Logged
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I'd think about what sorts of things I'd want my DH to be able to take care of, generally, and under special circumstances (like when mom gets put on bedrest with a twin pregnancy and there are 5 dc already running around, ages 9 and under). Admittedly, he'd have some help, likely, but you wouldn't want to have someone else over all the time. Kwim?
My DH can cook, do laundry (altho he doesn't fold), do carpentry and car work, can take care of the garden, the animals, and, well, just about everything. Of course, most of the time, *I* take care of the animals, the garden, the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry...and I arrange for the car work (cause he cannot physically "do" alot of the maneuvering that car work takes anymore). But he knows HOW to do those things. Kwim?
Rachel
__________________ Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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glinNC Forum Pro
Joined: May 09 2007
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Posted: Aug 22 2008 at 9:26pm | IP Logged
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I think cooking, cleaning, and being able to do laundry are fundamental skills, besides all the great suggestions already mentioned! If they can cook, clean, and do laundry, then they'll do OK on their own until they get married ... then they can impress their new wife with their skills. Maybe THEN we'd get a "thanks" from somebody for our efforts!
glinNC
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